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By Dr. Joey Page

Austin Public Schools Superintendent

We are excited to share the impact of a nationally recognized, innovative program that the Austin Public School District has recently adopted — BARR (Building Assets, Reducing Risks).

Since its implementation in 2022, BARR has delivered impressive results, including an astonishing reduction in behavior referrals at Austin High School of 69.1%, paving the way for more positive and productive school days for students and teachers.

Further, our current ninth grade cohort improved their passing rate by 11.4% from eighth to ninth grade. This progress underscores the program’s effectiveness in providing early interventions for seventh, eighth, and ninth-grade students as they face higher academic expectations, increased responsibilities, and new social pressures.

BARR tackles these issues by building strong connections among students, teachers, and staff, spotting and solving problems early with real-time data, and ensuring fairness by giving every student the support they need to succeed. At its core, BARR embraces the belief that when we understand students as individuals, they achieve more — and the results have been staggering.

It’s clear that when students feel supported by their teachers, peers, and staff, doors open for academic success.

BARR will continue to play an important role in supporting our students at APS. For the first time, BARR will be available for fifth and sixth grade students starting in the fall of 2025. We are also reviewing how this expansion of BARR could fit in grades 10-12 at Austin High School.

I am grateful to our outstanding staff who have committed the time and effort to champion BARR in our schools. This work has improved student outcomes, and I look forward to its growing impact in our district. To learn more about BARR, please visit https://barrcenter.org/about-barr/barr-model/.

We remain committed to Inspiring, Empowering, and Accelerating learning. BARR directly aligns with our core values and long-term vision at APS. We strive to identify creative ways to strengthen this work and advance our strategic goals. I invite you to learn more about our strategic plan at AccelerateAustin.org.

Thank you for supporting our schools.